Biodiversity and Systematics

Biodiversity and Systematics concerns the multitude of organisms living on our planet and the evolutionary relationships among them. Far from all existing organisms have been discovered and described, and among those organisms science knows of, classification is still ambiguous.

With molecular tools and morphological and anatomical observations, new species are continuously being identified and their relationship to other organisms is being disentangled. Molecular data also give science an opportunity to get answers to fundamental questions about evolution.

NABiS Nordic Masters in Biodiversity and Systematics at the University of Gothenburg is offered in cooperation with eight Nordic universities: University of Oslo and University of Tromsø in Norway, University of Copenhagen and University of Århus in Denmark, and University of Lund, University of Stockholm, University of Uppsala, and Swedish Agricultural University in Sweden.

Researchers from different disciplines (zoology, botany, mycology, lichenology, microbiology) at the major universities and Museums in Sweden, Norway and Denmark join and form an all-inclusive master education in Biodiversity and Systematics. Students are trained to gain the systematic and taxonomic expertise needed in our society to be able to take action against global loss of biodiversity.

Career areas

The programme is directed to students who are interested in a career as Nature conservation manager (public administrator or private consultant), officer at government agencies (Environmental Protection Agency, Swedish biodiversity Centre, etc) or non-governmental organizations (World Wildlife Foundation, Nature Conservation Organizations, etc), manager of biodiversity infrastructures (GBIF etc.) or want to pursue an academic career as Museum curator or university researcher.

The Nordic Masters in Biodiversity and Systematics curriculum emphasizes four key components:

• Scientific knowledge
• Practical skills
• Independent academic thinking and ability to convey knowledge
• Ethics and sustainability in a global perspective.

Upon completion of the programme you will:

• have a broad overview of living organisms and the relationship between them.
• have specific identification skills in one of more organism groups allowing for inventory of species and natural habitats.
• be familiar with nomenclatural rules, be able to describe evolutionary mechanisms leading to speciation and account for the species concepts.
• in practice be able to produce and assess molecular systematic information.
• understand the role of biodiversity in a global perspective and the ethical and economical aspects of conservation.
• have practice in conveying scientific information to academic groups as well as to the public.

Degree

This programme leads to the degree Master of Science with a major in Biology. The degree will be achieved after you have fulfilled the requirements of 120 hec, at least 90 hec of which have to be at the advanced (second) level in biology, including a degree project of at least 30 hec. This means that you can include courses at the bachelor (first) level of up to 30 hec in your Master of Science degree.

University studies of at least three full years, equal to a Bachelor's degree in Science in Biology. All credits in the degree need to be from an accredited university. The applicant s university education must also include a thesis, term paper or equivalent proof of proficiency in academic writing. Applicants must prove their knowledge of English: English 6/English B from Swedish Upper Secondary School or the equivalent level of an internationally recognized test, for example TOEFL, IELTS.Selection: Selection is based upon the number of credit points from previous university studies, maximum 225 hec. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 500 TOEFL iBT® test: 61

A chance to fund your studies

The University of Gothenburg is convinced that education and research flourish in an international environment. A mixture of students from different cultures enriches the learning environment and the University believes that motivated students should have a chance to study here, even if they dont have the means to cover all costs.

There are a number of opportunities to get a scholarship if you apply to the University of Gothenburg. If you are obliged to pay tuition fees in Sweden, you can apply for our scholarship that cover from half, to all of your tuition fees for the entire study programme.

There are also scholarship programmes available at bachelor's, master's, PhD and post-doctoral levels, which are administered by the Swedish Institute. The scholarship programmes target highly qualified students from certain countries.

http://www.utbildning.gu.se/education/application/scholarships/